The distributor has taken North American rights from IntraMovies to Italy’s foreign language Oscar submission, The First Beautiful Thing (La Prima Cosa Bella).

Paolo Virzi wrote and directed the comedic drama and Italian box office hit that earned three di Donatello awards for screenplay, actress and actor.

di Donatello winner Micaela Ramazzotti stars as a strong-willed and optimistic mother who raises her two children against the odds. Valerio Mastandrea also stars and won the actor award.

Palisades Tartan will release in theatres in 2011 after negotiating the deal with Paola Corvina and Jef Nuyts of IntraMovies on behalf of producers Fabrizio Donvito, Bernadetto Habib and Marco Cohen.

“We’re thrilled to share in Italy’s excitement for The First Beautiful Thing and look forward to bringing it to American audiences nationwide,” Palisades Tartan president and CEO of Soumya Sriraman said. “Paolo crafted a sexy, fun and emotionally moving film, and Micaela and Valerio are international discoveries.”